The heartland , which consists of 20 states across the center of the United States, generates more than one-third of US GDP (Exhibit 1). 1 Yet it continues to attract disproportionately low levels of private and long-term economic investment—only about 10 percent of US venture capital investment and 29 percent of fixed capital loans. 2 This disconnect is one of America’s largest underrealized economic opportunities.

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A map of the United States shows the 20 heartland states, following Heartland Forward’s definition: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Underneath the map, text highlights facts about the heartland. The heartland includes 20 states at the center of the US economy, there are 320+ micropolitan communities located in the heartland (60% of all micropolitans), and it is the third largest economy in the world.…